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broom crowberry

Scientific Name: Corema conradii

Family: Empetraceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Subshrub, Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names: MA (broom crowberry), NJ (broom crowberry), NY (br

       

Broom Crowberry (Corema conradii)

Corema conradii, commonly known as broom crowberry or poverty grass, is a low-growing evergreen shrub found in specific habitats of eastern North America. It is a relatively rare plant known for its early flowering and association with fire-dependent ecosystems.

Considerations for Pets

  • The plant has needle-like leaves.

Considerations for Children

  • The plant has needle-like leaves.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Corema conradii (Torr.) Torr. ex Loudon
  • Common Names: Broom crowberry, Poverty grass
  • Family: Empetraceae (Crowberry Family or Heath family (Ericaceae))
  • Synonym: Empetrum conradii
  • Taxonomic Group: Dicot

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to northeastern North America.
  • Found in dry, sandy habitats, barrens, and heathlands.
  • Specific locations include Nova Scotia, New Jersey Pinelands, and the Shawangunk Ridge in Ulster County, NY (the only non-coastal site where it grows naturally).
  • Often associated with Jack Pine barrens.

Ecological Role

  • Key constituent of globally rare Pitch Pine / Broom Crowberry Woodland.
  • Associated with fire-dependent ecosystems and benefits from ant seed dispersal.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Low-growing, evergreen subshrub or shrub.
  • Reaches a maximum height that remains low to the ground.
  • Leaves are long, needle-like, and densely clustered, especially at the ends of the branches.
  • Flowers are purple and brown, from the stamens.

Quirky Facts

  • Broom crowberry is one of the earliest flowering native species, blooming after skunk cabbage.
  • The populations on Ulster County’s Shawangunk Ridge represent the only known non-coastal site in the world where this plant grows naturally.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Benefits from ant seed dispersal.

Further Information

  • RHS (Royal Horticultural Society).
  • USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
  • Discover Life.
  • ResearchGate.
  • TERMIUM (Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank).
  • NYNHP Conservation Guide.